This invention relates generally to medical devices, and has particular reference to a novel volumetric spirometer for encouraging deeper inhalation by post-surgical patients and for measuring the amount of air that is inhaled.
After chest surgery, it is frequently very painful for the patient to breathe and, in addition, the patient may be so weakened that breathing is difficult. In such cases, the patient tends to breathe shallowly and deeper inhalation must be encouraged to help prevent lung congestion which can lead to pneumonia. Deeper breathing also helps to recondition muscles and aids in the healing process.
Lung exercising devices and spirometers of various types have been developed heretofore both for medical use as noted above and for non-medical uses such as improving breath control for singing or playing a musical instrument. Many of these devices, however, are unduly complex or cumbersome and some are relatively expensive to manufacture. A relatively simple device is the incentive spirometer disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,855, issued June 27, 1978 to G. J. Fleury, Jr., and this is the closest prior art known to the applicant. The present invention differs from the Fleury spirometer inter alia in its novel bellows arrangement and novel interfitting side wall construction as will be explained more fully hereinafter.